Lando Norris 'switch off' reaps reward following Nico Rosberg recommendation

F1 champion Nico Rosberg feels Lando Norris has turned a corner with his mentality after previously airing words of wisdom on how to stop his severe self-criticism after making mistakes.

After the Spanish Grand Prix, in which Norris had made errors in qualifying and again at the start of the race, the McLaren driver turned on himself, adding to his renown for doing so, whilst also allowing outside criticism to affect him.

It led to Rosberg, in attendance that weekend at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya as an analyst for Sky Sports F1, urging Norris to work on his mental approach, and, if necessary, to work with a psychologist.

Rosberg described the work involved for him as "insanely difficult", yet it reaped the ultimate reward by helping him to become the 2016 F1 champion, following which, he immediately retired.

Working again for Sky Sports F1 at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, Rosberg watched Norris deliver a superb pole position to beat team-mate Oscar Piastri just 24 hours after the Briton had been trounced by the Australian in qualifying for the sprint.

On the back of Norris winning back-to-back races for the first time in his F1 career in Austria and Silverstone, Rosberg feels Norris has turned a corner.

"Let's just go by the result. He's gaining strength and confidence, which is great," said Rosberg.

"He's also said in the interviews that he's not letting all these opinions get to him anymore. He's switching them off.

"Which is exactly what I've been trying to recommend to him also on air, just turn everything off, dial everything down, just focus on yourself, the team, and that's it. Nothing else.

"He says he's doing that, so maybe all that is working to his advantage now."

In the top-10 shoot-out at the Spa Francorchamps Circuit, it was Piastri who uncharacteristically made a small mistake that likely cost him another pole, instead handing the advantage to Norris.

Even then, though, Rosberg saw a difference in the outcome of Piastri's error compared to those in the past from Norris.

"A couple of mistakes out there for Oscar," said Rosberg. "But then again, with Oscar, when there are mistakes, it's like one position [he is punished]. When there are mistakes with Lando, it's six positions. There's still more, how do you say, consistency there."

Praising Norris, however, Rosberg added: "Nevertheless, Lando was awesome, so brilliant, and he's on a run, on a flow now, and that's what makes such a difference in sports, mentally also, when you have this flow.

"And he's coming off the back of great racing, it just helps, and he's looking really good out there."